NEC’s first US mobile phone

By 12.08.2003 :: 8:19AM EST12.08.2003

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nec is embarking on a push into the u.s. mobile phone market with the recent announcement of its first u.s. mobile phone, the 525 hdm (high definition mobile). it features two screens: one a smaller, 4k-color external (the phone is clam-shell-style), and one a 2.2″ 65k color screen. the outer color screen comes in handy when you receive a call since the phone features photo caller id. it operates on gsm/gprs 850/900/1800/1900 networks, so, yeah, basically anywhere. the phone also plays 40-note polyphonic ringtones, features an xhtml browser, and an integrated camera. like many camera phone designs, though, no thought was given to protecting the lens. why, oh why, don't they build these things with some method of protection (like the zire 71, or nearly every point-and-shoot camera out there)? the battery will get you 150 hours of standby or over 5 hours of talk-time. look for this new phone at at&t wireless, or check out some hi-res pictures of the nec 525 hdm at infosync.

1st?(10:26am est mon dec 08 2003)my wife had a tdma nec back in 2000 here in the us. – by js

1st?(11:45am est mon dec 08 2003)it must be bootlegged. – by jk

2nd.(12:16pm est mon dec 08 2003)actually the first was the 515. was it not? the 525 is an update which includes a camera. – by kg

oh i c…(12:18pm est mon dec 08 2003)“nec launches its first us camera-phone” was the actual headline. “camera” was left out of this article's headline. – by kg

yawn oh yawn…(2:13pm est mon dec 08 2003)who cares about these ppc-like mobile phones that apparently aren't even compatible with ppcs?! i'm not in love with nokia but their series 60 phones (now over a year old) are vastly more capable. – by wtf

who writes this crap?(3:09pm est mon dec 08 2003)seriously, they had released the 515 a few months ago. that was their first us phone in many years.

and “anywhere” is bolded? yeah, i guess in an abstract sense it will work on any gsm network, of course… but at&t's service in most major us cities is the worst you've ever seen. only suckers use it, hehe. – by jd

to be or not to be(4:39pm est mon dec 08 2003)i use at&t, that makes me a sucker? – by kg

signal(5:24pm est sun apr 25 2004)thats great that all of you can bash on other companies, but have any of you had an nec 525, and please tell me the quality of its performance. reception and quality and workmanship of the phone. – by nec 525

busted(2:37am est wed may 05 2004)i just got my nec 525. used it in china, india, france and i'm about to try it out in brazil. but…it's freaking out on me. slow response at times when sifting through menus to the point of freezing.

will immediately look into replacing the unit when i return stateside. – by disconnected

cool phone(6:15pm est fri sep 10 2004)i have now had my nec 525 for a few months and really like it. i do not have any problems with it and the att network works fine for me in state and out of state (since it is the same network as cingular and t-mobile). i have no complaints with my 525 or the service. it takes okay pictures and the other features are added bonuses. i would get the phone again if i had to do it over again. – by happy 525